Men: Cook up some recipes for romance

Culinary stars align to teach you some recipes for romance.
By Jessica Lothstein, Best Life

What is it about a man in an apron that makes a woman swoon? Why do men who cook become superstars to the opposite sex, even if they border on Tourette's (Emeril Lagasse) or consider Crocs fine attire (Mario Batali)? The reason is simple: "The kitchen is traditionally a woman's space," says relationship coach Michelle Callahan, PhD, "and for a man to enter that space and cook for her is a huge turn-on. It's a very personal way to say 'I love you.'" And thus, we have the perfect solution for the man who can't — or won't — step foot into a jewelry store yet again this season.

Does it make any difference what's on the menu? Tradition holds that caviar and oysters are aphrodisiacs, but new research supports a more general rule: Keep things light. A study at Ball State University found that one hour after eating a fatty meal, men's testosterone levels drop nearly 23 percent and remain low for eight hours. So we created the ultimate sexy dinner using libido-boosting ingredients such as pork and mushrooms, both of which are packed with zinc (for a firmer erection) and selenium (to boost sperm count). To transform these ingredients into a blow-her-away dinner, we consulted chefs from the sexiest trends in dining and assembled four courses, plus a refreshing cocktail. Gentlemen, start your burners.A Chef in Your CornerCulinary stars align to teach you some recipes for romance.By Jessica Lothstein, Best Life
COCKTAILCucumber Gin and Tonic From Chef Sean for Ghetto Gourmet, theghet.com
1 large cucumber, coarsely chopped 3 Tbsp. Thai long peppercorns5 Tbsp. grains of paradise 10 ounces angelica root (available at most health-food stores or at mountainroseherbs.com) 5 Tbsp. bee pollen3 limes, thinly sliced750ml bottle of quality gin (such as Hendricks)
Combine first six ingredients in a large mason jar, and then fill with gin. Cover and store in a cool, dark place for one week. Pour through a fine strainer into a new jar.
To serve:Pour two ounces of infused gin over ice in a rocks glass. Fill with tonic, and then garnish with a slice of cucumber and a lime wedge.
APPETIZER Bacon-Wrapped BaconFrom Chef Lorna for Caché Seattle, cacheseattle.com
3 lbs. pork belly, skin on, cut into 20 pieces (each approximately 1 ?" x 1" x 3")3-inch knob of ginger, sliced into a few pieces4 scallions, cut into 3-inch pieces3 oz. brown sugar? cup rice wine 1? cups soy sauce1 tsp. red pepper flakes 1 quart chicken stock 4 whole star anise1 Tbsp. cinnamon1/3 cup hoisin sauce20 thin-cut strips of bacon wooden toothpicksPut first 10 ingredients in a large wok or pan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 2? hours, or until pork belly is tender. Transfer pork to a plate.
Once sauce has cooled, skim off solidified fat and then strain, discarding the star anise, scallions, and ginger. Add the hoisin sauce; stir to dissolve. Over medium heat, reduce the sauce until thick (approximately 45 minutes). You should end up with about 1? cups of intensely flavored, dark reddish-brown sauce.
Place each piece of pork belly, skin side up, on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Wrap a strip of bacon around each piece of pork belly, and then secure with a toothpick. (Soak the toothpicks in water beforehand so they won't burn in the oven.)
Preheat oven to 325oF. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the bacon crisps.
Remove the tray from the oven, transfer a few pieces to plates, and spoon some sauce on top. Serve hot. Put the rest in the refrigerator and reheat for Sunday-afternoon football. This recipe requires too much work to make only two appetizers.
SALADFennel Salad With Tarragon-Mint ChimichurriFrom Chef Ben for Brooklyn Food Group, brooklynfoodgroup.blogspot.com
Note: Chimichurri is an herb-laced sauce from Argentina. The salad can be made in advance and dressed just before serving.
For the chimichurri:1/8 cup fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped1/8 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped? clove garlic, mincedjuice and zest of half an orangejuice and zest of half a lemon2 Tbsp. good-quality extra-virgin olive oilsalt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the salad:? head fennel, thinly sliced or shaved with a mandoline? cup red seedless grapes, cut in half lengthwise1 orange, peeled and separated into segments
Combine all ingredients for the chimichurri and then set aside. Toss the salad ingredients with the chimichurri a few minutes before serving.
MAIN COURSEBrown-Butter Scallops With Kabocha Squash Puree and Matsutake MushroomsFrom Chef Sean for Ghetto Gourmet, theghet.com
For the scallops:4 medium diver scallops6 Tbsp. butterFresh thyme
Place scallops, 3 Tbsp. butter, and fresh thyme in a Cryovac bag; vacuum-seal the bag. Over a low flame, bring a pot of water to 125oF. Put the bag in the water and cook for 12 minutes. Remove scallops from bag and dry completely. Heat a large sauté pan over very high heat and add remaining butter. Place scallops in pan and sauté until golden brown.
For the squash puree:1 medium kabocha squash1 Tbsp. vanilla-flavored instant coffee1 ? Tbsp. brown butter1 cup vegetable stock2 ? Tbsp. golden raisinsdash salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients in a pressure cooker and cook for 7 minutes. Transfer to a blender; puree until smooth.
For the mushrooms:? pound No. 1 grade matsutake mushrooms? cup vegetable stock1 Tbsp. butter
Clean mushrooms and place all ingredients in a pressure cooker for 1 minute. Remove and drain.
DESSERTPort-Poached PearsFrom Chef Tasso for Supper Underground, supperunderground.com
2 cups port wine? cup water? cup sugar1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped (keep the seeds and pod)1 stick cinnamon? tsp. whole allspicepeel of half a lemon 2 pears
Combine all ingredients except pears in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Flame off alcohol.
Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact. Slice the bottom eighth-inch from each pear to create a flat, stable base.
Reduce heat to a bare simmer and add the pears, laying them on their sides so that they are almost completely submerged. Cook, turning pears occasionally so that they become saturated on all sides, until they are just tender when pierced with a fork, about 7 minutes.
Cool to room temperature. Serve with vanilla ice cream.